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Platter of Snickerdoodle Cupcakes, with one of them sliced to reveal swirl of cinnamon.
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5 from 2 votes

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes

These moist Snickerdoodle Cupcakes are so delicious! Moist vanilla cupcakes are swirled with cinnamon and brown sugar, and topped with cinnamon cream cheese frosting
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 30
Author: Melissa and Bebe

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ sticks (170g) unsalted butter, softened (holds it shape but dents when pressed)
  • 2 cups (400g) sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 3 cups (342g) cake flour (spooned into measuring cup and leveled off) If you do not have cake flour see substitution in Notes below.
  • 2 teaspoons (8g) baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon (3g) baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon (3g) salt
  • 1 ¼ cups (296g) buttermilk — if you do not have buttermilk, see substitution below
  • ⅓ cup (68g) vegetable oil
  • 1 Tablespoon (12g) vanilla extract

For the Brown Sugar and Cinnamon Swirl

  • ½ cup (108g) packed light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon (2g) ground cinnamon

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 2 sticks (226g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 16 oz Cream Cheese (We used two 8 oz packages, full fat. Reduced fat would be a bit too soft.)
  • 2 teaspoons (8g) vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 6 cups (690g) powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon (3g) cinnamon

Instructions

Cinnamon and Brown Sugar Mixture

  • Combine the cinnamon and brown sugar in a small bowl and set aside for later. We will use this when it is time to fill the cupcake liners with batter.

Vanilla Cupcake Batter

  • First, Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Add cupcake liners to the cupcake pan(s).
  • Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt for 30 seconds. Set aside.
  • Buttermilk Mixture: In another bowl, add the buttermilk, vegetable oil and vanilla extract. Set aside.
  • In the bowl of your mixer, add the softened butter and mix at medium speed until smooth. Gradually add the sugar and continue to mix on medium speed for 3 to 5 minutes until lightened in color and fluffy.
  • Next, add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each until the yolk is blended.
  • With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients (3 additions of dry ingredients and 2 of liquid). After the last addition, mix just until combined. Be careful not to over-mix.

Filling the Liners (batter + swirl)

  • For each cupcake, spoon approximately 2 Tablespoons vanilla batter into the cupcake liner, sprinkle with about 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon and brown sugar mixture, and then top with another tablespoon of vanilla batter. Repeat for all of the cupcakes. (Each cupcake has approximately ¼ cup batter total.)
  • Bake the cupcakes at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just few crumbs attached. Remove the cupcakes immediately from the pan to prevent over baking.
  • This recipe makes about 7 ½ cups of batter (enough for 30-32 cupcakes)

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

  • Add the softened butter to the mixing bowl. Beat on low to medium speed until the butter is softened and smooth.
  • Next, add the softened cream cheese and mix on low until incorporated.
  • Add the vanilla. Gradually add the powdered sugar and cinnamon beating on low speed until blended.
  • Increase mixing speed to medium and mix until well incorporated.
  • This frosting will pipe best if used while still chilled. You can make it in advance, refrigerate and when ready to use let it soften slightly (do not microwave) and remix.
  • Decorate however you like! We frosted our cupcakes with a large star 1M piping tip.
  • These cupcakes should be refrigerated because of the cream cheese frosting. If you would prefer a less perishable frosting, you can use our Classic Vanilla Buttercream instead (and add a bit of cinnamon).
    We recommend removing the chilled cupcakes from the refrigerator about an hour or so before serving, so that they have time to warm and soften.

Notes

Substitute for Buttermilk: No Buttermilk? Here is a substitution: To a measuring cup, add 1 Tablespoons vinegar or lemon juice. Add milk to the 1 ¼ mark, stir. Wait 5 minutes and it is ready to use. The mixture will thicken.
Substitution for Cake Flour: Using all purpose flour (plain in UK) to make Cake Flour: For each cup of flour in a recipe, remove 2 Tablespoons of flour and replace with 2 Tablespoons cornstarch (cornflour in the UK).
This recipe has 3 cups of flour so you will measure out 3 cups of all purpose flour, remove 6 Tablespoons and replace with 6 Tablespoons cornstarch, whisk to blend
Recipe makes 7 ½ cups batter